On December 26, 2023, at 6 PM CAT, poets from across the African continent clashed in the Boxing Day Spoken Word contest organised by Writers Space Africa (WSA) and hosted by Anthony ‘PenBoss’ Onugba. Judges Patrick Tom Nzabonimpa from Rwanda and Luckier Chikopa from Malawi reviewed numerous submissions, selecting the top ten performers for the event. They were: Shirley Lakeh from Cameroon with “Africa I hear you,” Benedicta Eberechukwu from Nigeria with “Awake,” Odol Puro from Ethiopia with “Benediction,” Nanyanzi Leticia Hope from Uganda with “Destiny’s Dance,” The Zionist from Nigeria with “Foodie,” Tata John Bambo from Cameroon with “Messenger,” Amoit Miriam from Uganda with “Sonia,” Supreme George from Nigeria with “Tell Her,” Bella Ogwuche from Nigeria with “We Dare to Own the Sky,” and Blessed Grant Rodi from Malawi with “Welcome Son.” Notably, Blessed Grant Rodi was the third-place winner in last year’s competition.
Read about the 2022 Spoken Word contest
The judging criteria, as announced by the judges, included Message/Content (40%), Delivery and Performance (30%), Originality (10%), Overall Impact (10%), and Audience Votes (10%). Following a gripping contest filled with suspense, “Foodie” by The Zionist emerged as the first-place winner with 87.25%, securing a prize of $25. “Tell Her” by Supreme George claimed the second-place position with 85.4%, earning $15, while “We Dare to Own the Sky” by Bella Ogwuche achieved third place with 81.75% and won $10. Patrick Tom Nzabonimpa noted that this edition was fiercely contested, evident in the high scores, especially compared to last year’s first-place winner, Midnight Owl from Uganda, who scored 73.5%. Luckier Chikopa expressed satisfaction with the high quality of contestants, admitting that selecting the top 3 was an exceptionally challenging task.
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Anthony ‘PenBoss’ Onugba, who is also the sponsor of the prizes, commented that the Boxing Day Spoken Word contest was a remarkable showcase of the diverse and vibrant voices of African poets. Participants demonstrated creativity, passion, and skill, delivering powerful and captivating performances. The event offered the audience a feast of words, emotions, and insights that resonated with their experiences and aspirations. Beyond celebrating poetry, it served as a platform for cultural exchange, social awareness, and artistic expression. Congratulations to the winners, and heartfelt thanks to all the poets who participated. We eagerly anticipate seeing you again next year for another edition of this exciting and inspiring contest.
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About the Winners
Solomon Toluwalase Comfort (the Zionist) is an up-and-coming musician and a spoken word artist, majoring mostly in storytelling. She is an agriculturist and graduate of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto and resides in Kogi State, Nigeria. Most of her works are on spirituality, morality, and social justice. She is an inquisitive person who loves to discover new ideas and find ways to help people with her poetry. She participated in the 2023 Lipfest poetry competition and highly admires the works of Joseph Hope and some other writers who have played a part in rejuvenating the essence of literature in the hearts of young readers across the globe. Comfort is currently working on launching her podcast page on Mixlr with the name @zionist507. She can be found on TikTok with the name @zionist507.
Supreme George is a Christian writer, spoken word artist, and voice-over artist who enjoys using her voice to serve the world. She is also a final-year civil engineering student who hails from Nigeria and seeks to add value to those around her. She is a volunteer presenter with SearchMedia and a member of many outstanding poetry communities. She enjoys singing and watching movies in her leisure time, and she takes pleasure in spending time with her family and close friends.
Bella Ogwuche is a fifteen-year-old author, WIPO ambassador, and spoken-word poet. She is a Hilltop member and a student of Jewel Model School. She is the winner of the Teen Author Prize for poetry and was the third runner-up for the Uzo_ Ugbodima poetry prize in 2022. She was also shortlisted for the Asterlit Poetry Prize and emerged as the winner of the WIPO slam and duet slam. She is the first runner-up for the ALITFEST slam. Bella’s works have appeared in local and international journals, and she has also graced various stages where she performed to the delight of the audience.
